Future Fish
by Levi Ackerman
Summary: "Ochanomizu," Haru said decidedly. Rin slapped his head. "You only want to go there because it has 'mizu' or 'water' in it's name. Idiot." Makoto smiled indulgently. "Haru, it's an all-girls college." "What about here?" Haru asked, pointing to a brochure. "They have a pool." "That's Todai!" Rin practically screeched. "Most elite school in Japan!" MakoHaruRin apply for college.


_Disclaimer: I don't own Free!_

_A/N: A future fic featuring Rin, Makoto and Haru… their plans as they pick and apply for college and a few tidbits into their lives after high school. _

_All the colleges mentioned (and some of the associated stereotypes) are actual Tokyo colleges, I hope that doesn't make this too confusing for you. And the few swimmers mentioned are actual Japanese swimmers too. Also, I wanted to note that the official drinking age in Japan is 20. _

_Has hints of MakoHaru and lots of MakoHaruRin friendshippy stuff. Happy and non-angsty fic to cheer you'll up after Eternal Summer episode 6. _

* * *

**Future Fish**

* * *

"Haru-chan! I'm coming in!" Makoto pushed open the door, stumbling into the bathroom, slightly breathless.

Haru gave the little floating dolphin between his legs a flick, before he looked up. Makoto was holding two identical letters in his hand, both bearing a sticker: a maroon 'W' embellished on the pristine white.

Haru's blue eyes widened. "They've come?!"

"H-hurry up and change so we can open them." Makoto's voice held a tremor as he held out a hand. Haru grasped it, and a terrifying thought hit him at that moment.

_If it's a rejection… that could be one of the last times he even - _

* * *

_(a few months ago)_

"Ochanomizu," Haru said decidedly, after contemplating the brochures spread out in front of him for a few moments.

Rin smacked his forehead, rolling his eyes from the spot where he lay sprawled out on Haru's tatami mat. "You would. You just _would_."

Makoto chuckled. "It's an all-female university, Haru. Though you may stand a chance getting in with your name."

"He didn't even _look _at the brochures," Rin said scornfully. "He just wants it because it has '_mizu'_ in the name."

"As expected of Haru-chan," Makoto said, laughing, and Haru glared at them both.

"Drop the -chan," he ordered Makoto, and then to Rin - "Not like you had to make any choices yourself."

"Well, I guess some of us are just lucky." He bared his shark teeth in a smirk.

"I wouldn't call it just luck," Makoto said thoughtfully, picking up the brochure for Meiji University. "You got in because of your talent and hard work."

"Nah, Mikoshiba's really tight with this rich Keio kid whose dad is on the board. After he won at the intercollegiate, he managed to convince them to scout at Samezuka. You know how Keio is, connections for the win."

"Still, a swimming scholarship!" Makoto gushed. "Even if the scouts came because of Mikoshiba's pull, you impressed them with your swimming enough for them to award you that much."

"Yeah, well." Rin shrugged. "Momo's the one who's dying to go because it's huge on partying and apparently has the hottest girls. But I figured it's a good chance. Sousuke couldn't win in the Asian Swimming Championships, and I'm not even close to his level yet. Olympics is a long way away. At least at Keio I'd be able to swim competitively and gain more experience along with getting a degree… just _in case _the professional swimming thing doesn't work out."

"I'm sure it'll work out," Makoto said supportively. "Though that's a smart decision to have a back-up."

"That is if he doesn't fail," Haru pointed out snidely.

"Oi!" Rin snapped at him. "I'll let you know that I'm currently an honors student at Samezuka because of my grades!"

"That's only because your English is loads better than the others, your Japanese _sucks _- "

"Bastard, at least I got an offer!"

"Guys, calm down," Makoto said quickly, before a fistfight could erupt. Haru and Rin were glaring at one another. "Though Rin I'm surprised that you're not applying anywhere abroad. Is it because of the scholarship?"

"Not really. I don't want to go abroad," Rin admitted. "Australia was enough for me. I think I want to experience my college life in Japan. Tokyo, especially. And Keio's swim team is supposed to be really good."

"How about Nippon Taiiku?" Makoto asked, flipping through the brochures. "It _is _a sports university. Haru?"

"Does it have a pool?"

"Of _course _it has a pool, it's a sports university!" Rin hissed at him. "How the hell don't you know Nippon Taiiku! Kitajima Kosuke is from there!"

Haru looked at him blankly, and Rin slapped his forehead. "Olympic champion, gold-medal winner! He was on the winning relay team too, and he specializes in breaststroke."

"I only swim free."

"How is that even relevant?!"

"How about here?" Haru pointed at a brochure. "They have a photo of a pool. That'll be a good school."

"That's Todai, Haru," Makoto said patiently. "Japan's top-ranked and most elite university. Best of the best, academically. Honestly, with our grades, I don't think we stand a chance."

"That's the one megane's obsessed with, right?" Rin commented. "He was telling me something about how he's started practicing for the entrance exams already. Nerd."

"Rei?" Makoto asked. "Yeah. He'd even have a shot at getting in, with his grades. There's no point in Haru or me applying there though. Hitotsubashi either, for that matter. Too academically rigorous."

"Right." Rin nodded, tossing the University of Tokyo and Hitotsubashi University brochures aside. "Hey, what about Keio? We could be on the same relay team again!"

"I really wanted to," Makoto said regretfully. "But my dad is kind of against it. Party school reputation and what not."

"It's really well-connected though," Rin argued. "You'll get placements like _this_," he snapped his fingers, "-once you graduate."

"Hm, may as well apply," Makoto said, shrugging. "Haru, any preferences?"

"I'll apply wherever Makoto applies," Haru said coolly, still looking longingly at the Ochanomizu brochure, his finger tracing the kanji for water, 'mizu', which appeared in the name.

"I guess we'll try Meiji, Keio, Nippon Taiiku…" Makoto placed the relevant brochures in a pile.

"What do you even want to specialize in?" Rin asked.

"Social sciences, I guess," Makoto said, shrugging. "Haru wants to do oceanography, so we should also look at a school that offers courses in that kind of thing. Marine biology too."

"Here's one you haven't looked at," Rin said, tossing Makoto a brochure.

"Waseda!" Makoto's eyes widened, as he scanned the brochure. "Itoi Hajime's alma matter!"

At Haru's blank look, Makoto clarified. "Olympic level backstroke swimmer. My second favorite after Miyashita Junichi."

"The Keio-Waseda rivalry is huge," Rin said, grinning. "Both have strong swim teams. It would be kind of fitting, don't you think?"

"After Iwatobi and Samezuka?" Makoto smiled at him. "It would be fun, competing at meets again. If we get in though."

"Though it would be nice to swim on the _same _relay team again, for a change," Rin mused.

"It would," Makoto agreed. "But all of this depends on us getting into a college in the first place! Waseda is really highly ranked! I don't know if we'll be good enough."

"You will be, if you work your asses off starting _now_," Rin told them. "And _please _come to me for English lessons, because _both _of you _suck._"

* * *

Makoto's heart was set on Waseda, and it turned out they had a few very good courses in marine biology, which was enough to convince Haru. They applied to others as well - and when they visited Tokyo for the tests, and Haru managed to sneak into Waseda's pool, he was convinced that it was the right school for him.

"The water there seemed more inviting," he told Makoto as way of explanation. "I felt most at home in that pool."

"You really shouldn't have risked it though!" a frazzled Makoto cried. "You could have gotten us blacklisted or banned from applying!"

Eventually, the time for the results to come out neared. The days seemed to pass slower than usual, and even Haru started to seem oddly tense whenever they went swimming.

And then one day, Makoto found his letter in the mail. Rushing to Haru's house, he checked Haru's mailbox - and found another - and barged straight into Haru's bathroom, not wasting a second.

* * *

"I got in."

To anyone else, Haru's voice would have sounded entirely bland and unexcited, but Makoto could hear the underlying happiness.

"Congratulations, Haru-chan!" Makoto cried happily. "That's so great! Of course you would! Any college would be lucky to have you!"

"Open yours," Haru told him, nodding at Makoto's unopened letter.

Makoto blanched, edging away from the table.

"What's wrong?" Haru asked him.

"I - I can't!" Makoto wailed, burying his face in his hands. "I'm too scared!"

"Makoto - "

"What if I don't get in!"

"Makoto, you'll - "

"On second thought, I completely messed up the essay in the exam and - "

"Makoto, stop - "

"I don't think I'm quite the caliber Waseda needs - "

"Makoto!" Haru snatched the envelope from the table, tearing it open.

"Haru!" Makoto cried, looking utterly terrified as Haru opened the letter, scanning over it, his face blank and unreadable.

Makoto whimpered, burying his face in his hands again. A small smile pulled at Haru's lips. He reached over, flicking Makoto's head.

"Wh-what?" Makoto asked fearfully, and then Haru smiled - one of his few, rare smiles.

"We got in."

* * *

"Rin, it's _illegal_," Makoto whispered. "If we're caught, we're _screwed!"_

"Please, Makoto, don't be a killjoy," Rin said, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "After all that trouble Sousuke went through to get us fake ids."

"We don't look twenty!"

"_We _totally do," Rin argued. "Haru may not though. But that's fine, since I'm the one buying."

"What'll I tell my parents when they ask me why dinner was so expensive?!"

Rin rolled his eyes. "God, what part of 'my treat' did you not understand, idiot?"

"Makoto's not an idiot," Haru spoke up loyally.

"_You _shut up," Rin told him. "Makoto, god, calm the fuck down and stop acting like a virgin about to have sex."

"Wh-what?!" Makoto flushed. "What are you even saying?! Also, I can't let you pay for everything - "

"It's _fine_," Rin insisted. "Don't worry about that."

"Yeah, he's loaded anyways," Haru piped in, and Rin glowered at him.

"You could have at least offered to pay!"

"But you just told Makoto you're paying."

"That's because he's _nice, _unlike you!"

"I - I still don't think we should be doing this. In general," Makoto said, looking rather uncomfortable.

"For god's sake Makoto, It's just one damn sip of alcohol! Given we got into two of the top universities in Tokyo, we totally deserve it."

"You said two shots each before?" Haru pointed out sharply. "One sip isn't the same as two shots. Besides, I'd rather have shots of water."

"You _can't _have fucking shots of water, that defeats the entire purpose of - "

"At least dilute it with water - "

"Haru, _stop _being such a kid - "

"Haru's right though! It's our first time, we shouldn - nnnh!" Makoto stared at Haru out of wide, pleading green eyes, but it was too late. Rin had caught him a strong hold and literally forced an entire shot of _something _down his throat.

"What the hell did you give him?!" Haru demanded, eyes blazing, as Makoto clutched at his throat, coughing.

"That tasted _disgusting_!" Makoto choked.

"Naturally. It was vodka. Haru, stop giving me that look. You're next. Tonight, I'm going to show you both a sight you've never seen before!"

"And what's that?" Haru narrowed his eyes.

Rin's smile was positively evil. "The bottom of whatever toilet or trash can you two noobs inevitably end up puking in. I'm getting you both _smashed_!"

* * *

Rin's plan to get them smashed didn't turn out _quite _the way he had expected.

Because of _course _Makoto would be a fucking tank.

And of course he'd end up inadvertently challenging Haru to a drinking game.

And of course, Haru, though a first-time drinker, wouldn't be that much of a lightweight either.

Rin wasn't quite sure how it ended that night, but he woke up the next morning with an ear-splitting, pounding headache, and a dry throat, sprawled across a futon on Haru's floor.

* * *

"I don't like it," Haru whined, curling into Makoto's side. "Makoto, my head hurts. I want water."

Makoto moved to sit up, but Haru only clung onto him tighter. Smiling to himself, Makoto stroked Haru's head soothingly, reaching towards the bedside table for the pitcher of water and glass.

"Here you go, Haru-chan. Open up."

"Oy. Makoto." Rin's scratchy voice called out from the futon on the floor. "Gimme some too."

Makoto did, looking at him in amusement. "How are you feeling?"

"Fuck-all." Rin took the offered glass, finishing the water in three gulps, before holding it out again. "More."

Makoto smirked slightly, refilling the glass. "What happened to showing us a sight we'd never seen before."

"Shuttup," Rin groaned.

Makoto settled back into bed, his legs tangling comfortably with Haru's. "You're warm," Haru murmured sleepily, cuddling into him again, and Makoto felt his heart flutter wildly.

"Oi, stop it! I'm still here and I can hear you!" A pillow came sailing up from the floor and bonked Makoto on the head, effectively ruining the moment.

"You know…" Makoto said after awhile. "We'll be able to do stuff like this more often when we're in college, right?"

"Yeah…" Rin replied from below. "You two will be staying on campus for the first year though, right?"

"Mhmm. What about you?"

"I… I guess I will too," Rin said. "Though after that, we should rent an apartment together or something. Could be fun."

"That would be nice… don't you think Haru? Huh, Haru?" Makoto turned to the boy next to him, and a smile pulled at his lips.

Haru had fallen fast asleep, his head on Makoto's chest.

"You do know you'll have bunk beds in your dorm, right," Rin teased. "It'll make certain things rather… _inconvenient."_

"Shut up!" Makoto flushed at his implication and sent Rin's pillow flying back to him.

* * *

"Makoto, what time do we normally sleep at?" Haru asked, studying his laptop screen intently.

"I dunno… midnight, maybe?" Makoto suggested, typing furiously. "Hobbies. Um. Swimming. Video games."

"Okay," Haru agreed.

"What do you mean 'we'?" Rin asked, taunting Haru. "Why do you have to copy Makoto's form? Fill it out yourself!"

"Haru thinks if we both fill out the same preferences they'll be more likely to match us together as roommates," Makoto explained.

Rin suppressed his tenth eyeroll that day. "You do know there's a section later where they _ask _if you have anyone in particular you want to room with."

"Really?" Makoto looked relieved. "That's perfect! We'll just put down each other's names!"

"Do we drink alcohol, Makoto?" Haru asked. "Also, it's asking about sexual preferences. Why is it asking that? What do I write?"

"I - I don't know!" Makoto flushed. "And as for alcohol - I guess no?"

"Say yes," Rin advised him. "Otherwise they'll put you in a substance-free dorm, and that's no fun."

"But - "

"Just trust me. And also, Haru, better if you put straight. I don't know how they are on letting two bi or gay guys room together."

"How do you know so much?" Haru asked suspiciously.

"All college residential request forms are the same," Rin informed him. "I've already submitted mine."

"Oh, what kind of room are you going for?" Makoto asked. "Haru and I wanted to take two adjoining singles but that's proving out to be too expensive. You're used to dorms though, right?"

"Yeah, I am, but I kind of want my own space in college," Rin said. "Sharing with Sousuke was cool, but Nitori could get annoying as hell. He'd spread all his shit out over the room and it got really pissing off after a point. Don't tell him that though, he'll be heartbroken."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Makoto replied. "So you're going for a single?"

"Yep."

* * *

"NEWBIES! HI!" a girl in a chicken costume ran up to them, screaming, and waving her arms excitedly. "Do you want to join the light music club?"

"Ah - um - no thank you, not really our thing," Makoto said, as politely as he could.

The girl pouted, her brown eyes wide and sparkly. "Why not?! It's so much fun and you'll get lots of free, yummy snacks!"

"Damnit, Yui!" a girl with short brown hair screeched, running up to her. "Why the animal costumes, again?! Have you learned nothing?! We'll make fools of ourselves!"

"But Mio-chan said the maid costume was too revealing!"

"That doesn't mean you dress up like a chicken!"

Makoto and Haru exchanged a bewildered look, before moving on, making their way through the rambunctious crowd. The college club recruiting events were a lot bigger and livelier than the high school ones, and they had roamed around for thirty minutes unsuccessfully, catching no sign of a swim club.

A few minutes later, they were accosted by two more students, two males this time, a tall, muscular redhead and blue-haired boy.

"Hey you," the taller of the two barked, pointing at Makoto. "You have a great physique. Thinking of joining the basketball team?"

"Um - I'm actually really bad at land sports," Makoto lied.

"What?! Really?" the redhead narrowed his eyes. "That's a weird-ass excuse."

"Can you tell us where the swim team is?" Haru asked, and it was the blue-haired boy who replied, pointing. "They're all the way down there."

"The redhead reminded me of Rin," Haru murmured to Makoto when the two basketballers were out of earshot. "His looks, his general vibe."

"I thought so too!" Makoto exclaimed, before frowning slightly. "It would have been nice if Rin were here with us too, don't you think?"

"Hm."

* * *

"All first-years, please line up!" the captain, a tall blonde boy ordered. "Second-years too! Third and fourth-years, you'll be trying out after them, so you can rest for now. We'll have time trials now, one for each stroke, in 100 and then in 200 m. Swim in as many as you want. Top four per stroke per distance make it to the team. It's as simple as that. If you have any injuries or extenuating circumstances you think we need to know about, now's the time to come forth."

Makoto gulped, turning to Haru. "I didn't realize we have to qualify for the team! Iwatobi never had anything like that! Not that we ever had more than one member specializing in each stroke anyways," he added as an afterthought.

Haru shrugged, adjusting his cap. "I just want to be able to swim."

"You'll be fine, you'll definitely qualify for freestyle. I hope I get in for backstroke. A lot of these guys are from top schools in Tokyo!"

"You will, Makoto," Haru told him. "Just calm down."

The backstroke time trial was first, and Makoto finished with a decent lead in both 100 m and 200 m. He was smiling when he pulled himself out of the pool, raking a hand through his damp hair. Some of the older boys were watching him; their interest had been piqued by his excellent physique, and his style and timing had both been impressive.

The breaststroke time trial was next.

"I miss Nagisa, don't you?" Makoto whispered to Haru, and Haru nodded wistfully, watching the swimmers pull through the water. "Nagisa's arms stretch more than theirs. Though a couple of these guys might be faster."

Butterfly was next, but the blonde captain seemed to be annoyed about something. "Where the fuck is he?"

"We should disqualify him for not even bothering to show up to the first practice on time," another boy, a brunet, replied.

"No, he's the scholarship kid that ditched _Keio, _we really should take him."

"Hah. He turned down a Keio scholarship? I like him already. Still, the kid has some nerve."

"Oh, there he is - " the blond captain raised his voice. "Oy! Matsuoka? You're Matsuoka aren't you?!"

"Matsuoka?!" Haru and Makoto gasped in unison, looking at each other for a brief moment before turning around.

"Sorry I'm late!" Rin skidded to a stop. "I misread the kanji on the subway and got lost and - "

The blonde captain sniggered. "You _misread _the kanji? How old are you?"

"I attended middle school in Australia, okay - "

"Really? So you're a gaijin then - "

"Rin!" Makoto finally burst out, unable to hold himself back any longer. "What are you doing here?!"

Rin turned to Haru and Makoto, displaying all of his teeth in a wide grin. "Oh, I forgot to mention it to the two of you before," he said cockily. "I got into Waseda."

* * *

They didn't have much time to speak during practice; Rin came first in the butterfly time trial, and tied with Haru during the freestyle.

The Waseda captain seemed really impressed by all three of them, moreso when he learned that they had attended the same swim club as kids.

"Iwatobi, huh?" he muttered. "Never actually heard of the place. Seems to be bloody talented though."

* * *

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Makoto cried, rounding on Rin in the locker room, after their first swim practice had ended.

Rin just smirked. "I wanted to see the looks on your faces when you found out. Man, you two looked like such morons."

"Still, all three of us on the same swim team again!" Makoto exclaimed. "For the next four years we'll be swimming together! I would have never expected it!"

"Yeah, and we might be able to compete on the same relay team too," Rin said dreamily.

"All we need now is your pool of sakura blossoms, right?" Makoto teased, and Rin swatted him.

"Did Kou know about it?" Haru asked.

"Yeah, but I made her swear not to tell either of you about it."

"No wonder she kept smiling mysteriously whenever the talk of Waseda came up," Makoto said, realizing. "What about your scholarship though?"

Rin shrugged. "I applied for one here, and managed to get it. Sousuke helped out a bit, his dad is really well connected somehow. It's not a full scholarship like Keio's, but it's worth it. My mom is happier with Waseda too. She was really scared that I'd get caught up in Keio's party scene and waste my life."

"We didn't see you at the entrance exam!"

"I hid," Rin admitted. "I saw you both. I didn't want you to find out though, in case I didn't get in."

"I'm really glad you did get in," Makoto said, smiling, before looking over at Haru. "Haru-chan won't say it, but he's really glad too."

"I know."

* * *

"Are you following us?" Haru finally asked, as they made their way to Haru and Makoto's dorm.

"What the fuck, I am _not_!" Rin insisted.

And yet, he accompanied them to the dorm building, up the stairs, and to their hallways as well.

When they reached the door, Haru looked at him pointedly, and Rin just smirked, pulling out a key.

"No way." Makoto gaped at him.

"I requested the same hall as you two on the form. Luckily enough, turns out my single is the one next door. And hey, we even share a bathroom!"

"This is - this is - " Makoto was at a loss of words.

"Great, right?" Rin winked at them. "Calls for a celebration, I guess. Mikoshiba and some guys are heading to a bar in Shibuya tonight. Let's go?"

"I - I don't think I want to drink in my first week here," Makoto said, hesitating.

"Please Makoto, the first week is when you drink the most," Rin told him, before looking at Haru, who shrugged carelessly.

"I don't care."

"Alright. Get ready, and then we'll pre-game in my room."

"Wait - what - _pregame_?!" Makoto looked even more anxious than usual. "Why would you _pregame _a drinking place?"

"Because I have whiskey in my room," Rin said, shrugging, though a look of sadistic glee spread over his face when he caught sight of Makoto's panicked expression.

"Rin, this is a _bad _idea. _And _don't forget it's illegal, and the Tokyo policemen are probably a lot stricter than those back home! Haru probably thinks so too. Don't you, Haru-chan?"

"Can we go swimming after?" Haru asked Rin.

Rin considered this. "I don't know if drunk swimming is the best idea. Oh, but we can go to the aquarium this weekend!"

"Done. I'm in."

"Haru?!" Makoto cried, shocked by the betrayal.

Rin laughed, slinging an arm around his shoulder, and then Haru's.

"Get off me," Haru said immediately, as if on reflex, but Rin ignored him.

"Welcome to college, boys."

* * *

gaijin: Japanese short form for 'gaikokujin' meaning 'foreigner'

* * *

_A/N: My older sister went to Waseda for a year abroad so I'm partial! It's a great school, though so is Keio (best party school ever). _

_I wonder if any of you got the K-On! reference; had to slip it in since Kyoto Animation made both. And Kuroko no Basuke because. _

_Maybe this was a bit unrealistic in parts, but it made me happy and I hope it was an enjoyable read! Please drop a review. Expect my next update sometime this Wednesday after episode 7 inevitably stabs me in the heart. _

_Also go ahead and google Junichi Miyashita (I randomly saw a girl posting about him on my friend's facebook wall and my curiosity was piqued, and voila, best discovery ever) because he is. Gorgeous. Real-life Makoto. Backstroke swimmer. And his height and weight stats are so similar that it can't be a coincidence. And did I mention he's gorgeous, total bishie ikemen material? You're welcome. Can this be a Free! headcanon now? _


End file.
